Quantum dots, a form of light-activated nanoparticle 20,000 times smaller than a human hair, can be engineered to fight bacteria and kill infected cells, according to research published in Nature Materials.
Using the nanoparticles, which resemble tiny semiconductors used in electronics, University of Colorado Boulder researchers have been able to specifically target superbug bacteria that are resistant to other forms of therapy.
"Antibiotics are not just a baseline treatment for bacterial infections, but HIV and cancer as well," Anushree Chatterjee, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at CU-Boulder and a senior author of the study, said in a news release. "Failure to develop effective treatments for drug-resistant strains is not an option, and that's what this technology moves closer to solving."